Christian Right group aims to put gay married couples in prison

[ck4829]

The Wisconsin Family Council demands that state authorities charge gay couples who marry in California under an “obscure” 1915 law that “makes it a crime for Wisconsin residents to enter marriage in another state if that marriage is illegal” in Wisconsin. The law “carries a fine up to $10,000 and nine months in prison.” Julaine Appling of WFC, a state affiliate of Focus on the Family: “You purposely left the state for another state and you get married and you know it's not going to be legal where you reside and you have every intention of returning, that's defrauding the Government."

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2008/07/wisconsin_famil.html

[MikeE]

1. There was an interview

with a gay couple in Wis. regarding this and they thought it might be a good idea for them to get arrested so that the stupid law could be repealed and also bring more attention to why committed couples need the right to marry.

[exothermic]

3. I wonder if there's any DA in Wisconsin dumb enough to file charges...?

ARRRGGGHHHHH

[exothermic]

2. How sad that fucking moron Julaine has no life whatsoever.

:grr: :eyes:

[beam me up scottie]

4. There is no end to this insanity, is there?

We've regressed to the Dark Ages.

[melody]

5. Let's put the Christian Right group in prison for trying to murder our Constitution

... what's left of it.

[Wizard777]

17. Prison? Heeeell No! That's treason. Hang em! It's the traditional punishment.

So they should very happy about the preservation of another tradition.

[Warpy]

6. Why don't we just put the religious nuts in prison?

Seriously, there are fewer of them than there are gays and lesbians, it would make use of a growth industry (prisons), we could combine it with rehabilitation (deprogramming), and overall, it would be cost effective.

Plus, they might like it that way. It would be all Jebus, all the time.

Trapped in an airplane for four hours, I'd much rather sit next to any gay or lesbian than to some bible thumping lunatic who thinks s/he's got the right to go through life without seeing or hearing about anyone who thinks or lives differently.

[Bolo Boffin]

7. Hmmmm, 1915.

What "illegal marriages" might have been in mind in 1915?

From what I can determine, Wisconsin had no miscegenation laws, but they did have laws against married women teaching.

http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Wisconsin_s_legal_history&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=35862

But could this possibly be about keeping teachers single? Maybe. The single women were under contract not to marry, and it was a contentious issue at the time.

But there's no denying that the law was passed at a time when 30 of the states had miscegenation laws, though. It sounds like a law passed to prime the pump and get people talking about passing such a law (and a statement about people from California and Oregon coming into Wisconsin and getting married as well).

Ah, the smell of century-old bigotry!

[eyesroll]

16. It was age-related, from what I heard.

They didn't want underage people to leave WI, get married somewhere else, and come back.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Are we turning into Iran or what?

[BlooInBloo]

9. How ironic. Focus on the Family is focussing on putting families in prison.

[JackBeck]

12. OMG.

:spray:

Excellent point.

[terrya]

14. Isn't that something?

Words fail to describe how heinous this is.

You put it so perfectly.

[struggle4progress]

10. Some lawyers may have fun with this one. I wonder when the 1915 law was last enforced.

And it's a strange law, too: Can Wisconsin prosecute someone for smoking pot in Amsterdam or for walking around naked in a Vermont town?

[papapi]

11. Focus on the Family = Nazis

[HEyHEY]

13. I believe this is exactly what jesus would do.

:eyes:

[dsotm-wywh]

15. Why don't these wacky groups ever speak out publicly against divorce?

Jesus clearly stated many times that divorce is wrong. Personally, I believe that divorce is the number one threat to marriage in the world and is far more harmful to children and family values than gay people getting married.

[BlooInBloo]

18. As if gay folks getting married harmed children or familiy values *at all*.

[Wizard777]

19. Because they aren't THAT commited to the concept of marriage.

[EbenezerMcIntosh]

20. Misdirected morons.

These idiots need to keep their noses out of other people's business.

[joshcryer]

21. The irony here is that it will only get the issue to the SCOTUS quicker.

They really really don't want to do this.

[AllentownJake]

28. Actually they probably do

Kennedy is kind of wishy/washy and who knows how he would vote on this issue.

Though I think the constitution is quite clear on this issue actually quite clear aren't the words.

Article IV Section I

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

[sarcasmo]

22. Focus on the Family should be labeled a Terrorist organization.

[smoogatz]

23. Because amending the state constitution to discriminate against gay people

just wasn't good enough for them.

[undeterred]

24. The DA in Dane Country certainly won't.

That's where Madison is, and I know numerous gay couples who have gone to Canada to be wed.

[undeterred]

25. Can Wisconsinites who dig up corpses to have sex

be prosecuted for it in other states? :evilgrin:

[LaurenG]

26. It's time to place the Wisconsin Family Council in prison

If I hated anything it would be these types, assholes.

[kevinbgoode]

27. Is Focus on the Family a church? I don't think so. . .

which means, I think we should be gathering signatures for amendments to remove their members' right to marry. All the people should be allowed to vote on the marriage rights of Focus members.

[windoe]

29. With ALL the injustices in the world to be upset about....

what IS this bug up freeper ass about gay marriage? I simply am in awe of their misdirected angst. You do not hear of these people crying out for feeding the homeless, caring for injured vets, or reaching out to people who are displaced because of flood.

I know there are churches that do good work and they are quiet about it, but this anti gay movement has a fishy smell about it, like it is fed by another organization, freepers are just not this savvy. Church and state thingy, you know? :tinfoilhat:

[ccharles000]

30. disgusting